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The All Blacks have rebounded from a draw at 16 with the Wallabies in Wellington just over a week ago, registering a convincing victory over their Trans-Tasman rivals at Eden Park.
After a very close first half, the hosts took the game after the break. The All Blacks scored 17 points in the first 15 minutes of the second half, and the Wallabies had no answers, the game ended 27-7.
For the Wallabies, their hoodoo at Eden Park continues for at least another year, without having beaten New Zealand at Auckland Stadium since 1986.
The All Blacks, on the other hand, are now just one win away from claiming the Bledisloe Cup. That said, the next two games are at Tasman in Australia, where a Wallabies win in Sydney would set up a decisive one in Brisbane, a venue the All Blacks haven’t been too successful at lately. Here are five talking points that came out of Bledisloe II.
More late hits from the Wallabies.
The Wallabies were caught last week by late hits to midfielder Richie Mo’unga.
All Blacks assistant coach John Plumtree said before Bledisloe II that while it was annoying, “the All Blacks don’t cry” and that they would “just move on.”
Bledisloe’s second test generated a lot of drama again, including some more questionable strategies from the Wallabies defense.
Harry Wilson, 20, could be seen hitting Beauden Barrett late a couple of times during testing. Just before Aaron Smith’s try, Barret delivered a beautiful weighted kick, forcing a five-meter scrum after Marika Koroibete was tackled inside the arc.
But in the back game, Wilson had beaten Barrett late. It might have been overlooked if it hadn’t happened again later in the test.
Dirty tactics or is it the physicality it takes to compete at this level?
Coach Dave Rennie was adamant after the game that there were no plans to target the All Blacks playmakers, despite the incidents of the last two games.
“Harry is a big man, any big man gets close to a little one, he wants to have a chance with him,” Rennie said.
While these moments have been fairly inconsequential up to this stage, if these late hits continue, how long will it take until an injury occurs? Even a red card?
Although these moments are not planned, the young Wallabies must ensure that the golden generation is not tarnished by a reputation for foul play.
Can the Wallabies fix their defensive woes?
40 Missed Tackles – Ouch! It’s a pretty telling stat for the Wallabies, who seemed to fall apart on defense, especially in the first 15 minutes of the second half.
The All Blacks led by just three points at halftime, but by 54th minute, the hosts went up by 20.
After the game, Dave Rennie acknowledged that the Wallabies had “missed too many tackles,” and veteran mainstay James Slipper echoed those comments Monday morning.
“With players as powerful as Clarke and company, it’s hard to take them down when it’s one on one. It all comes down to making his tackles individually, we just didn’t individually do well enough on defense, ”Slipper said.
“A lot of those tackles we hit well and we just fell off. At the end of the day, you have to make those entries stick. “
Slipper also guaranteed that “it will be a better result” in Sydney, but it all depends on this obvious problem.
How much they can fix your defensive problems will go a long way in determining Bledisloe III. I don’t think anyone expects the Wallabies to miss 40 tackles again, but they would have to improve considerably to stand a chance. His defense won the All Blacks test on Sunday.
Matt To’omua’s injury
This is a huge loss for the Wallabies.
Just before halftime, Matt To’omua limped off the field injured with a groin injury, and the Wallabies never really recovered. The 30-year-old has proven to be a leader among a youthful and inexperienced defense, both in attack and defense.
In the first round of the Bledisloe Cup, his defense stood out. In the second clash, although he only played just under half, he was a major contributor to Australia’s only attempt of the match.
After Ned Hanigan broke the line through the middle of the All Blacks defensive line, it would have been easy for the Wallabies to force something. Instead, To’omua played calculated and patient rugby, handing the ball to Taniela Tupou before a perfect pass to Marika Koroibete let the winger cross to try.
A big talking point for this game has to be the loss of Matt To’omua, and even more so, who will likely have to replace him at Bledisloe III in Sydney.
Hunter Paisami replaced To’omua and did a decent job, but just like in the Reds, James O’Connor plays arguably his best rugby at 10 when there’s an inside center who can step up as a playmaker whenever. necessary.
Irae Simone could make his test debut, or Noah Lolesio could be at 10 as O’Connor moves to midfield. There will certainly be a lot of debate and speculation over the next few weeks, but overall, this is huge for the Wallabies’ Bledisloe hopes.
The influence of 21-year-old sensation Caleb Clarke
The All Blacks have been blessed over the years with incredible talent to have earned their way on the trial side and continue to shine. Most recently wingers Julian Savea and Rieko Ioane shone early on in their careers, and Caleb Clarke is no different.
At just 21 years old, and after just one start for the All Blacks, Clarke is already drawing comparisons between himself and the late great Jonah Lomu.
Clarke ran 138 yards and beat 14 defenders, in what was arguably a player of the match performance of exciting talent. The Wallabies’ lack of 40 tackles was due in large part to the damage he did and the gold jerseys he left behind every time he got his hands on the ball.
But after only playing two test matches, the accolades and comparisons Clarke is winning are putting a lot of pressure on his young shoulders. His impact was incredible and his post-game humility is to be admired as well.
In order for the Wallabies to win Bledisloe III, Clarke will have to be controlled as much as possible. But when he plays like he did on Sunday, the question should be asked: could any World Rugby team contain him?
At such a young age, it will be very exciting to see what you can achieve with a black jersey.
The Mo’unga-Barrett combination takes a small step forward
For whatever reason, these two have never been able to bring out the best in each other while playing on the same team.
Mo’unga has been arguably the top 10 national in New Zealand for some time, winning four consecutive titles with the Crusaders, including Super Rugby Aotearoa this year. But you have never been able to click the test level, until now; Sunday was a step in the right direction.
Mo’unga re-lined up alongside Barrett, for the first time since the All Blacks Bronze Finals in Tokyo last year, and they complement each other quite well. As a playmaker, Mo’unga did his job, maybe not to the same standard as when he was wearing red, but it was still positive.
If anything, it was a shame for Mo’unga that Barrett had one of his best performances in a black jersey, while wearing the 15 on his back. Barrett ran freely and effectively, and as a playmaker he was impressive too.
While it would be an absolute blessing for the All Blacks to have both players playing as well as we know they can, not playing their hand too much could be best for the team as a whole as they look to get the most out of each one. other. Sunday was a step in the right direction for the combination.
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